Collision avoidance system for vehicles having elevated apparatus
First Claim
1. A collision avoidance system for a vehicle of the type having a powered lift mechanism with a lift control used to move the mechanism between a predetermined safe position and an elevated position, the system comprising:
- a first sensor to determine whether the mechanism is in the safe or the elevated position;
a second sensor to determine whether an operator is using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position; and
control electronics connected to the first and second sensors and to the lift control, the electronics being operative to automatically transfer the mechanism from the elevated position to the safe position in the event that the operator is not using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A collision avoidance system for a vehicle of the type having a powered lift mechanism with a lift control used to move the mechanism between a predetermined safe position and an elevated position includes a first sensor to determine whether the mechanism is in the safe or the elevated position, and a second sensor used to determine whether an operator is using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position. If the mechanism is in the elevated position and the operator is not using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position, control electronics are operative to automatically transfer the mechanism from the elevated position back to the safe position without operator intervention. Means may be provided for alerting an operator of the vehicle when the mechanism is in the elevated position, for example, in the form of an intermittent, periodic audible and/or visual indicator which continues until the mechanism is brought back to the safe position. A vehicle speed sensor coupled to the control electronics may also be provided to cause the automatic transfer of the mechanism to occur move rapidly as a function of increasing vehicle speed.
37 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A collision avoidance system for a vehicle of the type having a powered lift mechanism with a lift control used to move the mechanism between a predetermined safe position and an elevated position, the system comprising:
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a first sensor to determine whether the mechanism is in the safe or the elevated position; a second sensor to determine whether an operator is using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position; and control electronics connected to the first and second sensors and to the lift control, the electronics being operative to automatically transfer the mechanism from the elevated position to the safe position in the event that the operator is not using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In a vehicle of the type having a powered lift mechanism with a lift control used to move the mechanism between a predetermined safe position and an elevated position, a collision avoidance method comprising the steps of:
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sensing whether the mechanism is in the safe or the elevated position; sensing whether an operator is using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position; and if the mechanism is in the elevated position and operator is not using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position, automatically moving the mechanism back to the safe position from the elevated position. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A collision avoidance system, comprising:
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a vehicle having a powered lift mechanism with a lift control used to move the mechanism between a predetermined safe position and an elevated position; and an electronic module on-board the vehicle, the module including; a first sensor to determine whether the mechanism is in the safe or the elevated position; a second sensor to determine whether an operator is using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position; and a controller connected to the first and second sensors and to the lift control, the controller being operative to automatically transfer the mechanism from the elevated position to the safe position in the event that the operator is not using the lift control to power the mechanism beyond the safe position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification